Saturday, 12 September 2015

So, opinions please! There doesn't seem to be a classic bike hire outfit here in Norfolk, so what if I start one? We have some great biking country around here, big open skies, small country lanes - no motorways in Norfolk!

I'd maybe offer a few bikes:

Ariel Huntmaster

BSA A10

BSA Bantam

BSA B31

Royal Enfield Bullet

What else would you suggest? Charges would be something like 85-95 GBP per day, maybe 150-175 GBP for a weekend, including insurance.

So what do you think? Drop me a line on simon@pisl.co.uk and let me know what you think.

Sunday, 6 September 2015

I've been meaning to take a few hours to write up the removal of a couple of broken screws.

These two examples are both parts of my Huntmaster - One is a fork clamp bolt, in which the screw retaining the headlamp casquette has become seized in the past and broken by someone; the other is a engine mount spacer, which in these bikes is provided with a small 2 BA lug to retain a pressed metal cover, which enhances the appearance of the engine mount and prevents it getting full of road dirt. Of course, in this exposed position these little screws seize solid. I managed to get one out, aided by some prehistoric oil leak, but the other was dry as a bone and broke as I worked it.

So the process for fixing this kind of problem is this:

Put the part solidly in the vice, and file the broken bolt flat; then centre punch the broken fastener right in the centre.

File the broken screw flat

Using a small drill, make a pilot hole right through the broken fastener. As you start it, make sure it's still on-centre

Pilot hole in the old 2 BA engine mount screw

Using a larger drill, open the hole out until you are approaching the minor diameter of the thread

Small pilot drill hole in the old screw

Continue drilling out the old screw

Try an Easy-Out in the hole, selecting the largest one possible that will bite in the hole. Turn it gently with a tap wrench. Don't force it - if you break it in the hole you are in real trouble.

Small Easy-Out

If you don't have any success with an easy-out (and I can't remember when one worked for me), go to the next drill. You will be able to see if you are approaching the major diameter of the thread - if you have already cut into the thread, stop.

Using a small punch or a chisel, tap out as much of the old fastener as you can - you can often shift a lot of it from the top of the hole, tapping toward the centre. Removing a couple of threads from the top of the hole is sufficient to go to the next step:

Finished drilling - only the old thread remains

Peeling the top threads away

Using a taper tap of the appropriate size, start the tap in the hole and attempt to recut the thread. Give it a few turns, and then disassemble everything and knock all the debris out of the bottom of the hole.

Starting the thread with the taper tap

Clean it out will so there is room for the second and plug taps.

All that remains of a 5/16" BSC screw

Move on to the second or intermediate tap and then the bottoming or plug tap, and complete the recutting of the hole. There will be a lot more debris in the hole and you will have to clean it all out again.

Saturday, 5 September 2015

Sunday saw a visit from members of the Model T Ford Register of Great Britain who cam to Sheringham for the sun, sea, sand & ice cream of which we are justly proud! Many of those elements were provided with the notable exception of the one which keeps us warm & tans our skin.

Some more pictures of the cars are shown on the Model T Ford register facebook page here, and thanks are due to Graham Deans of our favourite pub, The Lobster, for organising the event.

Wednesday, 2 September 2015

I bought this engine stand from www.newvu.co.uk, via eBay. NewVu make parts for Harleys and other stainless bike parts, and they sell this through their eBay shop, trading as 'Uniwolves':

It's made of welded sheet and square hollow section, and features an L shaped frame with two wide feet, which can fit anywhere on the frame. The engine is held on two yokes which can be positioned anywhere on the frame. Yokes and feet are clamped in their chosen position with M10 hex head screws.

It's fully adjustable for different engine mount configuration, and goes to a maximum length of 350mm, maximum height of 230mm, and can accommodate a maximum lug width of 135mm .

Each yoke includes two machined screws which pass into the engine mounts, and are reduced and tapered to allow them to fit into smaller engine mount holes. You can screw them in independantly to suit offset mounts:

Here's the screw that fits into the engine mount.

Now, observant readers will have noticed that most of these pictures show a large crankcase from my Ariel Huntmaster.

Now, if you are building a smaller engine with no bottom mounts, such as this MZ125 engine or a Bantam engine, we have this nifty device which connects to the mounts at either end of the engine:

The jaws of this one are much less wide, but provide all the adjustment you will need:

Of course, there is nothing to stop you putting a gearbox in it, though the adjustment slot on the top of many Burman boxes means they are not held as rigidly as an engine:

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About Me

I'm a mechanical engineer by profession, working these last 25 years in the oil & gas industry. I've been riding bikes since I was 16, and spend my time tinkering with classic cars & bikes when I'm not working or looking after the house.
I'm married & have two great kids, who mostly share the passion!